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REVIEW: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Little Women📍York Theatre Royal

Little Women tells the story of headstrong Jo March and her sisters Meg, Beth and Amy as they grow up in New England during the American Civil War. In this adaptation written by Anne-Marie Casey, the production brings the timeless coming-of-age classic to life once again.

This brand-new York Theatre Royal production of Alcott’s beloved novel Little Women which is on in the Main House stage from 21 September to 12 October.

Freya Parks leads the cast as Jo March, with having recently starred in the BBC television series This Town and Here We Go. Ainy Medina as Meg, Helen Chong as Amy and Laura Soper playing the role of Beth. The sisters are very much portrayed in an authentic manner, and the sibling depictions felt truthful to the book. I also enjoyed that they were all of differing races, a bold choice which pays off for the director Juliet Forster. The chemistry is palpable, as is the role of Marmee played by Kate Hampson.

The stand-out in the cast for me was Nikhil Singh Rai who played the role of Laurie. The acting choices garnered some brilliant believability and the handsome charm of Laurie oozed out of Rai. We also gain huge laughs from Caroline Gruber as Aunt March, the snobbery and acting choices here not being over-played to create a fine balance as the action unfolds.

There is a clear journey from childhood to adulthood in the mid-19th century of the sisters, and this is well executed under the direction of Juliet Forster. One of my favourite scenes involves an ice-skating incident is cleverly captivating (thanks to Jane Lalljee and Ruari Murchison’s splendid combination of set-design with lighting).

The re-using of the set, which we saw in a Pitlochry Theatre Festival’s production is to be commended, as the wooden furniture brings alive the feeling of a home and silver bitch tree trunks also give the outdoors-vs-indoors in an understated manner. As a fan of musicals, I couldn’t not also enjoy a little bit of singing with a real piano on stage.

Overall, this is a safe production that doesn’t seek to stray too far from conventional norms when showcasing on a traditional proscenium arch. It’s entertaining, enjoyable and a great night out at the theatre. I’d love to return to the gorgeous theatre, given its to be showcasing a world premiere in Emma Rice’s North by Northwest next year.

York Theatre Royal 21 Sep-12 Oct
Box Office 01904 623568 | yorktheatreroyal.co.uk

**N.B. This is an honest review, in exchange for a gifted / complimentary ticket. The reviewer has written this with their editorial control, with no external influence on how to frame the show. #AdvertisementFeature #PRInvite #Gifted #ad **